The European stock markets closed mixed, but little changed, in Friday trading as oil prices eased, and the Eurozone retail and construction sectors contracted, according to the latest readings.
The Stoxx Europe gained 0.2%, Germany's DAX rose 0.2%, the FTSE 100 was flat, France's CAC was 0.1% lower, and the Swiss Market Index increased fractionally.
The seasonally adjusted retail trade volume decreased 0.6% in the euro area and 0.4% in the European Union in July compared with June, according to first estimates from Eurostat, the EU's statistical office. This is following 0.2% volume growth in June in both areas.
Compared with a year earlier, the calendar adjusted retail sales index increased 0.6% in the euro area and 1.0% in the EU.
Meanwhile, the seasonally adjusted S&P Global Eurozone Construction PMI Total Activity Index, which tracks monthly changes in total industry activity, declined to 43.0 in August from 44.3 in July.
In corporate news, Deutsche Bank led an effort to provide about $950 million of credit to properties owned by troubled Hollywood studio landlord Hackman Capital Partners, which is now in default, the Financial Times reported Friday, citing court records and people familiar with the matter.
The lender provided or organized loans for Hackman-owned Television City and Manhattan Beach Studios in Los Angeles and Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York, the report said, adding that all three studios are now in default or foreclosure.
Deutsche Bank and Hackman did not immediately reply to' requests for comment.
Shares of the German lender lost 0.2% in Frankfurt.
BHP Group said Friday that it is aware of recent media speculation regarding a potential partnership involving part of its Western Australia Iron Ore business.
The mining giant said it has a long history of partnerships across its assets and regularly evaluates options that could create long-term value for shareholders. The company did not confirm or deny whether partnership discussions are underway.
Reuters reported Friday that China Baowu Steel Group is considering acquiring a minority stake in BHP's Jimblebar iron ore mine in Western Australia, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
Shares of BHP were off 0.1% in London.
Shell and Equinor's Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea is expected to receive UK government approval for new drilling this month, news outlets reported Friday.
Approval for the project, off the coast of Aberdeen, may come as soon as mid-September, just before Parliament breaks for party conferences, the BBC reported, citing government and industry sources.
"We do not comment on speculation," a spokesperson from the government's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said in an emailed statement to. "The North Sea remains a vital national asset and oil and gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system for decades to come, alongside transitioning to clean power to protect jobs and tackle the climate crisis."
"Any decision will take into account all relevant evidence, including environmental assessments and public representations received during the consultation process," the statement said.
Shares of Shell edged 0.1% higher in London, while shares of Equinor dropped 1.8% in Oslo.
Novo Nordisk's charitable foundation and its Quantum Foundry Copenhagen company are planning to set up a new 5,300 square meter quantum chip production facility in Copenhagen, the organizations said Friday.
The new plant aims to develop manufacturing equipment for the production of quantum chips.
Shares of the Danish pharmaceutical company declined 0.9% in Copenhagen.